In:
Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Vol. 346, No. 6209 ( 2014-10-31), p. 614-617
Abstract:
The atomic nucleus is composed of two different kinds of fermions: protons and neutrons. If the protons and neutrons did not interact, the Pauli exclusion principle would force the majority of fermions (usually neutrons) to have a higher average momentum. Our high-energy electron-scattering measurements using 12 C, 27 Al, 56 Fe, and 208 Pb targets show that even in heavy, neutron-rich nuclei, short-range interactions between the fermions form correlated high-momentum neutron-proton pairs. Thus, in neutron-rich nuclei, protons have a greater probability than neutrons to have momentum greater than the Fermi momentum. This finding has implications ranging from nuclear few-body systems to neutron stars and may also be observable experimentally in two-spin–state, ultracold atomic gas systems.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0036-8075
,
1095-9203
DOI:
10.1126/science.1256785
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Publication Date:
2014
detail.hit.zdb_id:
128410-1
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2066996-3
SSG:
11
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